The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Discussion of any bush poetry topic.
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Gary Harding
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Fri Dec 18, 2020 1:04 pm

The Sentimental Bloke by C J Dennis

Doreen was the girlfriend and later the wife of The Sentimental Bloke (Bill)

She is represented here by this mannequin in period dress... now just completed.

It was a major detailed exercise taking countless hours of initial planning, sorting of design ideas, procurement of material and then shaping the clothes precisely. The skirt and jacket (my idea) utilise a blue velveteen. She has a hand-made purse that sits beside her. Karen's enormous skills.

I have no problem in saying that the all-up actual monetary cost of this Doreen exercise is around $1,000.

Those wonderful old writers did so much for Australia - and C J Dennis was one of the best. Even if it is only two people alone in the whole country doing it, it is time that Australia enshrines them instead of ignoring them. I get very intense about it all.... anyway..

Doreen looks stunning! She is so real that when I come into the room she startles me.

Yes, we could have settled for cheap and nasty... (plenty of mannequins around with blank heads etc) ... and yes, Doreen was "working class" (hate that dreadful term) but that does not mean that we are obliged to produce something tatty or ordinary.

It is a major part of our huge, quality "Sentimental Bloke" exhibit..

So for those who have a genuine interest in C J Dennis .. part of Australian literary culture as expressed in its Bush Poetry.... this might be rather emotional?

Perpetuating the memory of C J Dennis and his writing in a real sense. Doreen.

Doing this for Den, and for fellow Australians.. is a real buzz!! Gary
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vwalla
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by vwalla » Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:41 pm

Gary
Every time you post something like this I become so sad that we live so far away and will most likely not ever get to see your efforts in the flesh .
Thank you and your fellow workers again for your sterling efforts, particularly those promoting " CJ " in whom I have a very keen interest.
Cheers Val Wallace Glendale NSW

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Gary Harding
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:55 am

Thanks Val!

I think that re-creations like Doreen lend depth to presentations, don't they?

As you have expressed an interest, I will try and post more on C J. Dennis. For example, we have created a very large, professional and colourful wall-board showing Den in the middle, surrounded by his books that radiate out from him like the spokes on a wheel. It looks fantastic, as well as being informative.

By openly lending your support on this forum, you are significantly contributing - and I hope that you feel that you are a part of "the team" too. :)

I have always felt that one should never be afraid to step up to the plate courageously (as you have) and state one's support for A Cause that you believe in - doing your little bit for Australia - and devil take the hindmost! :) :)

From the moment that visitors walk into the Centre they will become our special Guests.

I try and share with fellow ABPA members all the intimate ups and downs of this project. The wins and losses - the joys, frustrations and occasional anger too. haha.

What we are well on the way to independently produce is Australia's first National Cultural Centre... with the bush poets forming an underlying, but not too dominant I hope, framework. All drawing on my vast collection. (I still have boxes of good stuff from years ago where I do not recall what is in them!)

Never say never.... the Sunshine Coast hub is on the main Bruce Highway, so it would be great to see you there when it is all established!.. if you can make it. Thanks again, Gary
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Wed Dec 23, 2020 5:12 am

The Spoken Word Exhibit

Perhaps not that well known is the fact that Chips Rafferty was an accomplished reciter of bush verse.

If anyone remembers Chips Rafferty - the outstanding Australian actor? It's going back a bit.

So again from my Collection, here is a very rare(!) album of his bush verse recitations.

The title is : A Man and His Horse.

The tracks are :

From The Gulf Will Ogilvie
How We Won the Ribbon Will Ogilvie
The Outlaw and The Rider Will Ogilvie
The Riding of The Rebel Will Ogilvie

How We Beat The Favourite Adam Lindsay Gordon
The Sick Stockrider Adam Lindsay Gordon
In The Stable A. B. Paterson (best track)

As an actor, Chips certainly had a commanding screen presence, didn't he? A big favourite of my mother.

At six foot six, the album notes say he is "...a lanky, hard-bitten, free-and-easy, drawling spoken Australian. The international image of the outback Australian."

Further - about his reciting "There is no attempt at histrionics - the approach is almost casual, but as the stanzas flow on we are left with a vivid picture of the country, the horses and the men as these poets knew them. We commend this album to all those who are proud of our pioneering background and feel its story should be preserved".

Absolutely! Very proud indeed and its story as we all know should (and will be) be preserved... and more importantly, permanently presented to The People. Otherwise it will certainly be gone forever.

Hope to have more posts in 2021 for ABPA members to enjoy!

Have a Happy Christmas!!! Gary
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Shelley Hansen
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Shelley Hansen » Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:24 pm

I certainly do remember Chips Rafferty, Gary - specifically in "Sundowners" and "They're a Weird Mob", although I know his film credits are extensive. I haven't heard him recite, but imagine he would do it superbly.

Thanks also for sharing your update on Doreen - she is delightful. Can see why Bill would be smitten!
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Jan 02, 2021 8:17 am

Shelley, with your interest in calligraphy, I hope that you might enjoy this ....

It is an original, hand-done, calligraphy work produced and gifted to me by my professional artist friend who is about eighty years old.

He recently completed for us the major Edward Harrington "Replacement for the lost poem on vellum" Project. Preliminary details of that exercise can be found in a much earlier post. This particular project which has important literary and cultural importance for Australia and involves John Flynn, cost me personally several thousand dollars to complete, not to mention the countless hours of time spent on it. The result is truly stunning and would please Mr. Harrington I am sure - as it has the museum people in Alice Springs who are enormously grateful for their copy. (The original framed work stays with the BPCC though)

Anyway, this particular work is a bush ballad by M T Forest entitled "Battle Ballad of The Ming". From what I can see, it is an attempt to be something after the style of a typical Banjo Paterson horse-racing poem.

Again it demonstrates what can be done with a bush ballad to make it visually appealing! It trends more towards being an Art thing, because calligraphy does make the words a bit more difficult to read I think. I have always promoted the idea of ABPA members artistically framing their own best work.

Bush poetry overlaps many areas as has been demonstrated - and Art is one of them.

It measures 33cm x 63cm. I really like his horse-racing illustration!!

I have no problem in presenting bush poetry at the BPCC regardless of who wrote it.... if it achieves an exceptional standard. To be perfectly honest, this poem just does not achieve anything like a standard that I would personally be comfortable about presenting to the Public... despite the artistic value of the item. Unfortunately.

So I don't know what to do with it!!

As a work of Art.. i. e. calligraphy and illustration ... it is very good indeed. Sadly its literary merit is not quite there though.
However there are still some forty bush balladist qualifiers in the Collection for public presentation.
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:32 am

In presenting Australian Culture, the broad area of The Australian Theatre will need to be tackled. Australian plays, musicals, opera, ballet, film.

Nellie Stewart has been comprehensively covered (see previous posts) and from that, one can get a feel for the live theatre-stage of the late 1800's to early 1900's.

Leonard Teale with his one-man Henry Lawson stage production (see previous post) is an example of such valiant shows that were made especially famous (or notorious) by the intriguing Mr. Barry Humphries. Barry put out a number of publications .... and LP's, some of which I have (eg "A Nice Night's Entertainment").

John Derum also did a travelling one-man C J Dennis show. (previous post) and has been very helpful to us. His 1980 show will be featured.

Frank Ifield (vocalist, actor) has also been greatly encouraging. We claim him to be Mr. Waltzing Matilda. There is a major section devoted to Frank who, among many other things, starred in the 1960's film "Up Jumped A Swagman" and its accompanying LP.

Because the theatre field is so huge, we can only present a small fraction of it. Enough to showcase Australian talent and not bore people.

Who does not have fond memories of at least one such show?

When I was at uni, I was talked into joining the Monash Light Opera Company (MULOC). No way was I getting up on a stage so I volunteered as a spotlight operator in The Alexander Theatre bio-box where curtains and lighting are controlled. "Fly the greys" "Standby Spot No 1... spot one, go" etc
The popular light opera "Where's Charley" or Charley's Aunt was a major MULOC uni-student production, complete with a real orchestra and I just loved the music too.
Another was created by the young David Williamson who was in the audience to see it one night as I recall. After shows, one had the opportunity to rub shoulders in the foyer with some visiting greats like Gordon Chater (who did Charley's Aunt many years before in 1960) and Gary Gray (The Terrific Adventures of the Terrible Ten). Just being there was a privilege and getting within a few feet of such gods of the theatre was a thrill for someone at the bottom of the tree; a mere "stage hand". One could never dream of saying "hello" to them.

Aside from the sensory experience itself, the cast party at the end for everyone involved in the show was worthwhile, particularly for a young bloke. I gained a liking for (selective) musicals then.

In the Collection is a vintage theatre program assortment! (sample pictured) and an original Charley's Aunt program 1960 featuring Gordon. A bit of nostalgia.

** ... just found this complete script to the play Charley's Aunt in a box! Thoroughly annotated. I remember that it was in a deceased estate I bought years ago. If I get any more stuff, I will have to pitch a tent in the yard to live or look for a spare room somewhere!

One important thing is that everyone has different likes and dislikes... tastes. The task is to cater for all in an unbiased way.

We are not intending to give an in-depth presentation of the Australian theatre, but rather a superficial, positive and effective one. In doing so we steer clear of opinion, slanting, academic analysis or pontificating.

Just the way it was then.. simple... the happy times. The sheer Australian talent :)

It should be fun.
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:34 am

As an aside :

The eyes of some people light up as their memories travel back to the 1950's and 60's. An era of rapid Australian kitchen-gear evolution.

In those days (and likely today too) many women spent most of their time in the kitchen. Even with a family of two adults and two children, that could require twelve individual meals per day, every day - unless supplemented by a pie from the school Tuck Shop.

I wonder who recalls these three revolutionary and very heavy items that were the pillars of a modern kitchen then?

1. The Semak Vitamizer
2. Pressure Cooker
3. The Sunbeam Mixmaster

I think that I also have a vintage Sunbeam Frypan but unsurprisingly perhaps, I cannot find it yet.

Ladies who visit, usually gravitate to the Women's Weeklies first and then to these nostalgic kitchen items.

When I try and drag them away in order to spruik the merits of Banjo Paterson and C J Dennis etc.... "Come and look at this inscribed Paterson book..etc", I am brushed aside with some annoyance.

"Just a minute I want to read these!!"

Because I might personally enjoy Paterson and Lawson over a Mixmaster, does not mean that it is the case for everyone.

Maybe the good medicine (Australian Bush Verse) has to be taken dissolved in a teaspoon of honey (Recipe books, Kitchen gear and Womens Weeklies)?

I really don't know.... whatever it takes I suppose....
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Shelley Hansen » Mon Jan 25, 2021 6:21 pm

Hi Gary

Forgive the lateness of my reply to your last posts, but I'll reply to all three of them at once.

Firstly, the calligraphy - yes, I love it. Some time ago I bought a book of quotations and short poems published by a small publishing house in South Australia - the book is entirely calligraphy with watercolour illustrations. It's beautiful. Poetry and calligraphy are a perfect match, I think!

There are so many stage shows and theatre events that celebrate Aussie poetry. I particularly remember attending "Banjo the Man" over 30 years ago in our local City Hall (long before the Brolga Theatre was thought of). It was a walk through Banjo's life, with a young boy playing him as a child, Barry Crocker playing him as an adult, and another actor whose name I cannot recall playing him as an old man. It was fabulous, and the absolute highlight was the "old" Banjo reciting "The Man from Snowy River" - I have never heard it done better. Great memories! I wish I'd had the chance to see John Derum in "More than a Sentimental Bloke", but I have re-watched 1980s episodes of ABC's "A Big Country" on YouTube which feature his tour.

Ahh - the Sunbeam Mixmaster! Mum always had one and so did I - until just recently replacing my old one with a Breville Wizz. I'd like a dollar for each cake that was mixed on a Sunbeam in our family!!

Cheers
Shelley
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Thu Jan 28, 2021 2:39 pm

As everyone knows, the Australian bush poets enshrined The Old Bush School with their wonderful poems.

" 'Tis a queer, old battered landmark that belongs to other years;
With the dog-leg fence around it, and its hat about its ears,"

"It was built of bark and poles, and the roof was full of holes
And each leak in rainy weather made a pool;
And the walls were mostly cracks lined with calico and sacks -
There was little need for windows in the school."

"Just a humble little dwelling on a treed horizon-line,
Red-grey bricks and rust-stained iron; canvas door held up with twine."


Here is part of a large display of The Bush School and it includes a number of items such as the vintage school desk, pen, inkwells, ink, slate, books. Also a slide-show produced from old glass plate negatives in my Collection c1900.

Featured below is our recently-completed mannequin of a young, girl student ("Suzie") dressed in period clothes.

She wears a genuine 1901 Gilt-Bronze Medal (120 years old) with ribbon... given to school children at that time in order to celebrate the opening of the first Federal Parliament.

All this accurate period outfitting was made by Karen. A major undertaking.
There are three garments; each one very involved to construct. Petticoat, pinafore and smock. The complex, foundation petticoat underneath lends a flared shape.. prevents outer-garment sag... but is unseen.
Her old school bag is genuine but a later vintage..

Also a photo of her period "Compulsory Certificate" from South Australia that will be placed next to her..

I suggest that this is all needed to make the poems interesting for the public. Anyone can just put Lawson's book out opened at the page - and people will pass it by.

So it is all about the ballads firstly, and the poets themselves afterwards. The Literature.

The mannequin of The Sentimental Bloke is finished and looks terrific!! Beautifully tailored period outfit for him!! Very life-like. As far as I know having Doreen and Bill recreated is a first.
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